For the past 16 years, Nevin (M.S. IMC, 2006) has been “the voice of the Mountaineers” as the public address announcer for WVU football, men’s basketball, baseball, rifle and The Pride of West Virginia marching band. He is also the announcer for several WVU colleges’ commencement ceremonies.
This year, Nevin was named the College 2018-19 Bob Sheppard P.A. Announcer of the Year by the National Association of Sports Public Address Announcers . The P.A. Announcer of the Year Award, which is named for Bob Sheppard, the stadium announcer for the New York Yankees from 1951-2007, recognizes professionalism and skill in announcing at each of the following levels: high school, junior college, NAIA, NCAA and non-school amateur.
“It’s a great honor to be recognized at the national level by my peers,” said Nevin. “This award is less about me and more about the amazing team of professionals I work with every game. They make my job easy. We take pride in making the game day experience at WVU a special one for our fans every time out. I couldn’t be more proud of this team and being a Mountaineer.”
With nearly 40 years of broadcasting and announcing experience, Nevin began working as a public address announcer while in high school in 1981, and followed his dream into college, earning an undergraduate degree in radio-television from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
And starting this fall, he will share his talents and expertise with undergraduate students in the College of Media, teaching a new journalism course on voice performance for broadcasting that he developed.
“I am really excited about sharing some of the lessons and tips with students I’ve learned over the years as an announcer, and watching them grow and become better,” said Nevin.
Nevin is not new to teaching. He has been an adjunct instructor for the College’s Integrated Marketing Communications master’s program since 2007, bringing his experience from his “day job” as the assistant vice president of communications for the West Virginia University Foundation, the private fundraising arm of West Virginia University, to the classroom. Nevin oversees all areas of internal and external communications and marketing for the Foundation. Previously, he was the assistant director and external communications manager for WVU News and Information Services (now University Relations).
“As a communications professional, it’s always important to stay up on the latest trends in the industry,” Nevin said.“Teaching helps me to do this. I also love sharing new ideas and approaches with students, and watching them successfully apply them in their jobs and daily life.”